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Review HP Pavilion 17-e054sg Notebook

Bargain-buy quad-core. A well-rounded notebook for under 600 Euros (~$815) - that's what the Pavilion 17 offers. A quad-core processor and a dual graphics card supposedly ensure optimal performance. Our review reveals whether this setup really does its job.

For the original German review, see here.

With the Pavilion 17-e054sg, Hewlett Packard offers a comparable option for those who want to spend as little as possible for a well-rounded notebook with a 17.3-inch screen.

Less than 600 Euros (~$815) gets the buyer a quad-core processor matched with a dual graphics card - both from AMD - and a spacious hard drive. We recently tested the 15.6-inch counterpart of the Pavilion 17 - the Pavilion 15-e052sg (AMD A8-5550MRadeon HD 8550G + HD 8670M Dual Graphics). Our test reveals whether the Pavilion 17 has left a good impression.

We used the Asus F75VC-TY088H (Core i3-2370M, GeForce GT 720M) and the Dell Inspiron 17R-5721 (Core i5-3317U, Radeon HD 8730M) as comparisons to assess the processor.

Case

Wie wir testen - Gehäuse

The HP Pavilion 17-e054sg.
The HP Pavilion 17-e054sg.
A maintenance cover is accessible.
A maintenance cover is accessible.

The Pavilion's case is manufactured completely out of plastic, just like that of the F75VC. With the Inspiron, Dell also includes metal components. HP describes the Pavilion's case color as "sparkling black." Here the name really says it all: the surfaces shine like mirrors. The display and top of the chassis are solid black, with two-thirds of the remaining surface speckled with bright dots. The back of the lid is colored a bright silver-gray, and the upper surface of the chassis is additionally encased in a silver-gray plastic frame.

The chassis doesn't exhibit any obvious weaknesses, except that the touchpad tends to sag slightly downward. The chassis is likely to be rather stiff; however, its stability is reflected in the price. The lid can become somewhat twisted, but the reason for this lies in the frame as well. The hinges hold the lid firmly in place and wobble slightly back and forth. Opening the lid one-handed is simply impossible.

Connectivity

Wie wir testen - Ausstattung

The interface features of the three devices under comparison are not radically different. The most evident difference is to be found in Ethernet capability. The Pavilion is the only device with a Fast Ethernet chip. Both of its competitors support Gigabit Ethernet. In addition to this, the Inspiron is the only computer to boast a fourth USB slot. The interface configuration is definitely well thought out. The only interface near the palm rest is the SD reader, with the audio jack sitting just above. This keeps the areas near the palm rest free from cables.

Left side: VGA, HDMI, 2x USB 3.0, audio combo, card reader
Left side: VGA, HDMI, 2x USB 3.0, audio combo, card reader
Right side: DVD drive, USB 2.0, Ethernet, AC jack, Kensington lock
Right side: DVD drive, USB 2.0, Ethernet, AC jack, Kensington lock

Communication

The WLAN adaptor of the Pavilion runs on a Realtek chip (RTL8188E), which supports WLAN standards 802.11 b/g/n.

Our non-standard service test encountered no connection problems, either in the immediate vicinity of the router or several meters away. The computer's Fast Ethernet chip is likewise from Realtek (RTL8102E family). The device does not include a Bluetooth module. The integrated webcam produces a somewhat fuzzy image at resolutions of up to 1280x720 pixels.

Accessories

The accessories consist of a quick-start guide and a booklet illustrating the features of Windows 8.

Operating System and Recovery

The Pavilion runs Windows 8 (64-bit) as its default operating system. A Windows DVD is not included, so recovery software (on DVD or USB drive) is designed to be installed with the included HP Recovery Manager.

Alternatively, users can purchase a set of recovery DVDs through HP as long as they have the notebook's product number (on the packaging) on hand. Apart from the operating system, this includes all drivers and preinstalled software. The price currently sits at about 38 Euros (~$50).

Maintenance

There is a maintenance cover on the underside of the machine, which offers access to the hard drive, RAM, and WLAN adapter. The fan is not accessible in this way. The Pavilion is equipped with two RAM slots, which are both already occupied with 4 GB RAM modules. Swapping out the hard drive is certainly possible, and 2.5-inch hard drives of 7 mm and 9.5 mm heights would fit.

Warranty

The Pavilion comes with a 12-month warranty, including pickup service. The Inspiron also comes with a one-year warranty, while buyers of the Asus can enjoy a two-year warranty. The duration of the Pavilion's warranty can be extended to two or three years, with a cost of about 60 to 95 Euros (~$80-$130). For a more comprehensive overview of the various warranty options, interested customers can visit HP's website and input the product number.

Input Devices

Wie wir testen - Eingabegeräte

Keyboard

HP has equipped the Pavilion with a non-illuminated chiclet keyboard. The main keys have dimensions of 15 x 15 mm (0.59 x 0.59 inches). In general, the flat, rough keys offer a crisp, short stroke and clear tactile feedback. A somewhat stronger resistance would be nice though - but that's a matter of taste. The keyboard does not wobble during typing, and we appreciated the status LEDs built into the WLAN, caps lock, and mute keys. All in all, HP has delivered a perfectly decent keyboard for everyday use. 

Touchpad

A 10.9 x 5.1 cm (4.3 x 2 inches) multitouch-compatible touchpad serves as a mouse replacement. It forms part of the wrist rest and sits slightly inset from the rest of the chassis. The textured surface makes finger swipes no problem. Specific multitouch gestures can be turned on and off on an individual basis in the configuration menu and not all gestures are activated by default. Both of the dedicated mouse buttons give clearly audible and tactile feedback and a short stroke.

The keyboard is not illuminated.
The keyboard is not illuminated.
The touchpad supports multitouch strokes.
The touchpad supports multitouch strokes.

Display

Wie wir testen - Display

The Pavilion makes use of a glossy 17.3-inch display. It has a default resolution of 1600x900 pixels and does not offer other display configurations. The average brightness of the display is 223.1 cd/m², putting the Pavilion between the F75VC (213.8 cd/m²) and the Inspiron (234 cd/m²) in terms of brightness.

213
cd/m²
213
cd/m²
227
cd/m²
227
cd/m²
237
cd/m²
254
cd/m²
197
cd/m²
207
cd/m²
233
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LG Philips LGD0372 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 254 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 223.1 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 78 %
Center on Battery: 193 cd/m²
Contrast: 416:1 (Black: 0.57 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 12.08 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 13.01 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
51.5% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
70.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
50.8% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2
Pavilion 17 vs. sRGB
Pavilion 17 vs. sRGB
Pavilion 17 vs. AdobeRGB
Pavilion 17 vs. AdobeRGB

The Pavilion's contrast (416:1) and black level (0.57 cd/m²) do not overwhelmingly impress, but they are passable. Both the Inspiron (354:1, 0.69 cd/m²) and especially the F75VC (236:1, 0.95 cd/m²) offer worse stats. A peek at the screenshots of the color space comparison show that the Pavilion does not cover either the sRGB or the AdobeRGB color reproduction. Overlap with the sRGB color space sits at 61.7%. These color spaces play a role, for example, with professional graphics editing.

We measured the monitor against the sRGB color space in factory condition, and we identified an average DeltaE 2000 deviation of about 12. The color yellow displays in the goal area (DeltaE small 5). The monitor also displays a noticeable blue tinge.

CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - grayscale
CalMAN - grayscale
CalMAN - color saturation
CalMAN - color saturation

Outdoor use would certainly be possible. However, users should avoid bright environments and set the display so as to avoid reflections on the screen.

In terms of viewing angle stability, the Pavilion offers no surprises. Viewed straight-on, the viewing angle can be quite large without ill effects. The content of the screen can also be viewed from the side, though every increase in the angle darkens the image further. Vertical changes of the viewing angle don't look so good for the Pavilion. At this point, even a small change of viewing angle causes the image to break up.

The Pavilion 17 in outdoor use.
The Pavilion 17 in outdoor use.
Viewing angles of the Pavilion 17
Viewing angles of the Pavilion 17

Performance

Wie wir testen - Leistung

The Pavilion adds a well-rounded notebook with a 17-inch screen to HP's line of products. It supports the playing of modern computer games along with, for example, video playback and teleconferencing via Skype. Our test product is currently available for about 580 Euros (~$785). Hewlett Packard also offers several other Pavilion 17 models, which can be equipped with Intel or AMD hardware. The best value at the time of writing is the HP Pavilion 17-e028sg (AMD A4-5000 APU, 4 GB memory, 500 GB hard drive) for about 380 Euros (~$515).

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
HWInfo
System information HP Pavilion 17-e054sg

Processor

HP has equipped the Pavilion with an AMD A10-5750M-APU based on Richland architecture. The CPU component of the APU consists of a quad-core processor with a base speed of 2.5 GHz. The speed can be increased to up to 3.5 GHz with AMD Turbo Core. AMD has rated the power consumption of the APU at 35 watts (TDP).

Cinebench's single-thread tests measure the processor at 3.2 GHz. Occasionally the core accelerates to 3.5 GHz. In multi-thread tests, the cores achieve a speed of 2.8 GHz but continually slow down to 2.5 GHz. In single-thread use, the Pavilion cannot keep up with the Inspiron (Core i5-3317URadeon HD 8730M) or the F75VC (Core i3-2370MGeForce GT 720M). It looks different with multi-thread use. Here the AMD processor runs dead even with its Intel counterparts. In principle though, there is more speed to be had. As both the Cinebench tests and our own stress test show, the CPU cannot deliver its full speed in multi-core usages.

In GL tests, the Inspiron and the Pavilion are also dead even. Here the Pavilion should actually be outperforming its rival, since its dual graphics system offers higher performance than the Dell machine's. We presume that dual graphics systems simply do not rate well in GL tests.

Cinebench R10 Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
3484 Points
Cinebench R10 Shading 64Bit
5606 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
9015 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
2586
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
6386
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
5685
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
0.88 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
30.23 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
2.25 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
31.7 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
98 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
206 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
77 Points
Help
Cinebench R11.5 - OpenGL 64Bit (sort by value)
HP Pavilion 17-e054sg
Radeon HD 8650G + HD 8670M Dual Graphics, A10-5750M, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
30.23 fps
Asus F75VC-TY088H
GeForce GT 720M, 2370M, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
21.45 fps -29%
Lenovo IdeaPad G780 (M843MGE)
GeForce GT 630M, 3210M, Seagate Momentus ST750LM022 HN-M750MB
25.22 fps -17%
Dell Inspiron 17R-5721
Radeon HD 8730M, 3317U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVT-75A1Yt0
31.8 fps +5%
HP ProBook 4740s (B0Y81EA)
Radeon HD 7650M, 2450M, Hitachi Travelstar 5K750 HTS547575A9E384
32.86 fps +9%
MSI CX70-i740M281W7H
GeForce GT 740M, 4702MQ, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
41.66 fps +38%
Acer Aspire V3-771G
GeForce GT 650M, 3610QM, Intel SSD 320 Series SSDSA2CW120G3
42.37 fps +40%
Acer Aspire V3-771G-736B161TMaii
GeForce GT 650M, 3630QM, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
42.51 fps +41%
Acer Aspire V3-772G-747A321
GeForce GTX 760M, 4702MQ, Toshiba HG5d THNSNH256GMCT
56.5 fps +87%
Cinebench R11.5 - CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
HP Pavilion 17-e054sg
Radeon HD 8650G + HD 8670M Dual Graphics, A10-5750M, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
2.25 Points
Asus F75VC-TY088H
GeForce GT 720M, 2370M, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
2.29 Points +2%
Dell Inspiron 17R-5721
Radeon HD 8730M, 3317U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVT-75A1Yt0
2.35 Points +4%
Lenovo IdeaPad G780 (M843MGE)
GeForce GT 630M, 3210M, Seagate Momentus ST750LM022 HN-M750MB
2.42 Points +8%
HP ProBook 4740s (B0Y81EA)
Radeon HD 7650M, 2450M, Hitachi Travelstar 5K750 HTS547575A9E384
2.76 Points +23%
MSI CX70-i740M281W7H
GeForce GT 740M, 4702MQ, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
6.19 Points +175%
Acer Aspire V3-771G
GeForce GT 650M, 3610QM, Intel SSD 320 Series SSDSA2CW120G3
6.19 Points +175%
Acer Aspire V3-771G-736B161TMaii
GeForce GT 650M, 3630QM, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
6.26 Points +178%
Acer Aspire V3-772G-747A321
GeForce GTX 760M, 4702MQ, Toshiba HG5d THNSNH256GMCT
6.36 Points +183%

System Performance

The system works generally smoothly, and we could not detect any delays. The results of the PCMark benchmarks likewise turn out well. The Asus (Core i3-2370MGeForce GT 720M) ran in a dead heat with the Pavilion. The Inspiron (Core i5-3317URadeon HD 8730M) runs slightly ahead of both, since it is equipped with the most powerful CPU and fastest hard drive.

Users can replace the existing hard drive with a solid state drive if they so desire. The notebook will start up faster and work more nimbly in general - we've tested it. The PCMark benchmarks also benefit from an SSD. Our solid state drive (Crucial RealSSD C300 - 64 GB) leads to an increase of about 49% (to 3169 points) in PCMark 7 results.

5.9
Windows 8 Experience Index
Processor
Calculations per second
7.1
Memory (RAM)
Memory operations per second
7.2
Graphics
Desktop performance for Windows Aero
5.9
Gaming graphics
3D business and gaming graphics
6.7
Primary hard disk
Disk data transfer rate
5.9
PCMark Vantage Result
5096 points
PCMark 7 Score
2122 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated
2301 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated
1919 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated
3846 points
Help
PCMark 7 - Score (sort by value)
HP Pavilion 17-e054sg
Radeon HD 8650G + HD 8670M Dual Graphics, A10-5750M, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
2122 Points
HP ProBook 4740s (B0Y81EA)
Radeon HD 7650M, 2450M, Hitachi Travelstar 5K750 HTS547575A9E384
1907 Points -10%
Lenovo IdeaPad G780 (M843MGE)
GeForce GT 630M, 3210M, Seagate Momentus ST750LM022 HN-M750MB
1933 Points -9%
Asus F75VC-TY088H
GeForce GT 720M, 2370M, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
2130 Points 0%
Dell Inspiron 17R-5721
Radeon HD 8730M, 3317U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVT-75A1Yt0
2349 Points +11%
MSI CX70-i740M281W7H
GeForce GT 740M, 4702MQ, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVX-22JC3T0
2491 Points +17%
Acer Aspire V3-771G-736B161TMaii
GeForce GT 650M, 3630QM, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
2770 Points +31%
Acer Aspire V3-771G
GeForce GT 650M, 3610QM, Intel SSD 320 Series SSDSA2CW120G3
4160 Points +96%
Acer Aspire V3-772G-747A321
GeForce GTX 760M, 4702MQ, Toshiba HG5d THNSNH256GMCT
5650 Points +166%

Storage Device

HD Tune
HD Tune
CrystalDiskMark
CrystalDiskMark

HP has equipped the Pavilion with a Toshiba storage drive, which has a capacity of 1 TB and rotates at 5,400 rpm. CrystalDiskMark offers a read speed of 106.9 MB/s, and HD Tune provides an average transfer rate of 82 MB/s. These stats are more or less standard for a 5,400 rpm drive. The transfer rates of small data blocks as well as the drive's seek time are also impressive. In general, the storage drive is quite reasonable for a notebook of this price range.

Toshiba MQ01ABD100
Transfer Rate Minimum: 30.2 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 111.2 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 82 MB/s
Access Time: 17.8 ms
Burst Rate: 133.2 MB/s
CPU Usage: 5.2 %

Graphics Card

An AMD dual graphics system is used in the Pavilion. This is composed of the integrated Radeon HD 8650G graphics core and the dedicated Radeon HD 8670M GPU. Both graphic cards support at least DirectX 11. The GPUs run in so-called Crossfire hybrid mode, which means both cores can work in tandem on graphics calculations. If only minor graphics performance is needed (for example, in video playback), just the integrated GPU is used. This is also reflected in battery use. However, it would also be possible to use Crossfire in this case. In the driver menu, users may determine whether dual graphics mode should be used for any given activity.

In 3DMark benchmarks, the Pavilion consistently scores better than the Inspiron (Core i5-3317U, Radeon HD 8730M) and the F75VC (Core i3-2370M, GeForce GT 720M), which is no great surprise. Crossfire offers more powerful performance than the competition's GPUs. The Pavilion only lags behind in the 3DMark06 benchmark, since here the CPU plays a significant role in the result.

3DMark 06 Standard Score
5716 points
3DMark Vantage P Result
7479 points
3DMark 11 Performance
2317 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
45586 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
4343 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
696 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance (sort by value)
HP Pavilion 17-e054sg
Radeon HD 8650G + HD 8670M Dual Graphics, A10-5750M, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
2317 Points
Asus F75VC-TY088H
GeForce GT 720M, 2370M, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
1210 Points -48%
Dell Inspiron 17R-5721
Radeon HD 8730M, 3317U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVT-75A1Yt0
1510 Points -35%
HP Pavilion 17-e054sg
Radeon HD 8650G, A10-5750M, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
1549 Points -33%

Gaming Performance

The Pavilion's Crossfire dual graphics system allows it to play several computer games with at least HD resolution (1366x768 pixels) at medium-quality settings. With most games the Pavilion distinguishes itself from the competition. When we compare the Crossfire system to that of the Radeon HD 8650G  GPU, Crossfire performs markedly better (3DMark 2011: 2,317 to 1,549 points). However, it's hard to notice the difference in actual gameplay. The dual graphics system only occasionally performs noticeably better than the integrated GPU, often achieving equal or just slightly higher frame rates. 

Users dissatisfied with the Pavilion's game performance should take a look at the Acer Aspire V3-772G (Core i7-4702MQGeForce GTX 760M). The price of our test product sits at about 1,500 Euros (~$2060). But there are other opportunities to save a bit of money: Acer also offers a trimmed-down variant with Core i5-4200MGeForce GT 750M, 4GB RAM, a 500 GB hard drive and Full HD monitor for just 650 Euros (~$900). A Windows operating system is not included.

low med. high ultra
Trackmania Nations Forever (2008) 124 39.6
Resident Evil 5 (2009) 76 45.6
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (2010) 63.8 45.9 31.5
Metro 2033 (2010) 47.2 29.2
Mafia 2 (2010) 43.2 35 29.3
Civilization 5 (2010) 36.3
Total War: Shogun 2 (2011) 99.3 26.7
Dirt 3 (2011) 92.7 57.8 41.4
Deus Ex Human Revolution (2011) 60.3 37.2
Batman: Arkham City (2011) 60 45 22
Battlefield 3 (2011) 37.6 30.6 27.2
CoD: Modern Warfare 3 (2011) 95.3 55.7 31.2
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011) 39.7 26.3 18.4
Anno 2070 (2011) 81.7 37 22.2
Alan Wake (2012) 20.1 14.2
Mass Effect 3 (2012) 43.1 31.1
Risen 2: Dark Waters (2012) 27.8 18.4
Diablo III (2012) 78.2 49.7 38.9
Dirt Showdown (2012) 51 33 29.3
Max Payne 3 (2012) 29.3 29 20.4
Ghost Recon: Future Soldier (2012) 21.7 10.5
Darksiders II (2012) 32.1
Sleeping Dogs (2012) 49.6 37.1 27.7
Counter-Strike: GO (2012) 132.3 94.7 65.5
F1 2012 (2012) 44 35 34
Fifa 13 (2012) 118.8 101.2
Dishonored (2012) 44.5 34.4 30.7
Medal of Honor: Warfighter (2012) 56.1 42.5 34.5
Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2012) 37.6 26 16.3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (2012) 56.3 38.9 19.1
Hitman: Absolution (2012) 25.2 22 15.9
Assassin´s Creed III (2012) 15.8
Far Cry 3 (2012) 44.4 27.6 18.9
Dead Space 3 (2013) 30 29.8 27.8
Crysis 3 (2013) 20.7 12.8
Tomb Raider (2013) 98.7 59.2 38.3
SimCity (2013) 60.6 26 17.2
StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm (2013) 152.2 54.8 28.7
BioShock Infinite (2013) 54.3 27.6 23.1
Metro: Last Light (2013) 26 19.5
GRID 2 (2013) 62.8 37.7 31.1
Company of Heroes 2 (2013) 17.5 14.9
Dota 2 (2013) 54.6 39.6
Splinter Cell: Blacklist (2013) 35.7 25.6 12
Saints Row IV (2013) 26.2 21.8 12.2
The Bureau: XCOM Declassified (2013) 27.4 19 13
Total War: Rome II (2013) 44.2 31.7 25.7
F1 2013 (2013) 56 40 38
HP Pavilion 17-e054sg
Radeon HD 8650G + HD 8670M Dual Graphics, A10-5750M, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
Asus F75VC-TY088H
GeForce GT 720M, 2370M, Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 HTS545050A7E380
Dell Inspiron 17R-5721
Radeon HD 8730M, 3317U, WDC Scorpio Blue WD10JPVT-75A1Yt0
HP Pavilion 17-e054sg
Radeon HD 8650G, A10-5750M, Toshiba MQ01ABD100
Anno 2070
-2%
17%
-2%
1024x768 Low Preset
81.7
79.8
-2%
79
-3%
78.9
-3%
1366x768 Medium Preset AA:on
37
36.2
-2%
46
24%
35.9
-3%
1366x768 High Preset AA:on AF:2x
22.2
21.9
-1%
29
31%
21.9
-1%
Hitman: Absolution
-8%
-34%
-11%
1024x768 Lowest Preset
25.2
31.7
26%
15
-40%
25.5
1%
1366x768 Medium Preset AF:2x
22
20.7
-6%
14
-36%
22
0%
1366x768 High Preset AA:2xMS AF:8x
15.9
9.1
-43%
12
-25%
10.4
-35%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-5% / -5%
-9% / -8%
-7% / -7%

Emissions

Wie wir testen - Emissionen

System Noise

During idle state we measured a sound pressure level of 31.7 to 31.8 dB. These values are acceptable. With these levels, the Pavilion positions itself between the Inspiron (32 to 32.4 dB) and the F75VC (30.5 to 30.9 dB). Under medium (with 3DMark06 running) to full load (stress test, Prime95 and Furmark running) the Pavilion's levels increase markedly to 43.2 and 43.1 dB respectively. These values are even because the Pavilion doesn't run with full power even under full load. The Inspiron (36.4 and 42.1 dB respectively) and the F75VC (38.9 and 41.3 dB respectively) offer lower noise levels.

Noise Level

Idle
31.7 / 31.8 / 31.8 dB(A)
HDD
31.7 dB(A)
DVD
36.9 / dB(A)
Load
43.2 / 43.1 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Voltcraft sl-320 (15 cm distance)

Temperature

The Pavilion 17-e054sg during our stress test
The Pavilion 17-e054sg during our stress test

During idle use, the Pavilion and the Asus notebook hardly warm up at all. The outer temperature of both computers lies under the 30 °C mark. The Inspiron warms up slightly more but remains within the green zone. Under full load, the Pavilion's temperature readings rise only moderately, not crossing the 40 °C mark. The F75VC looks quite similar: the temperature margin is only breached in the area of the fan. The Inspiron breaches it at multiple points.

The CPU went through our stress test (with Prime95 and Furmark running for at least an hour) operating at 2.5 to 2.8 GHz. As time increased, the processor achieved the 2.8 GHz mark less often. The dedicated GPU ran with a speed of 900 to 975 MHz, while the integrated GPU ran consistently at 351 MHz. When the test was conducted on battery only, the GPU speeds declined to 400 MHz (dedicated GPU) and 252 MHz (integrated GPU). All four processor cores ran at 2.5 GHz. We ran the 3DMark06 benchmark test again immediately after the stress test. The result was identical to that of a cold notebook. The CPU temperature at full operation leveled off at about 70 °C.

Max. Load
 33.8 °C
93 F
35.5 °C
96 F
25.4 °C
78 F
 
 33.9 °C
93 F
33.1 °C
92 F
25 °C
77 F
 
 32.3 °C
90 F
27 °C
81 F
24.6 °C
76 F
 
Maximum: 35.5 °C = 96 F
Average: 30.1 °C = 86 F
24.9 °C
77 F
33.7 °C
93 F
37.5 °C
100 F
24.2 °C
76 F
32.3 °C
90 F
38.6 °C
101 F
24.1 °C
75 F
30.7 °C
87 F
30.2 °C
86 F
Maximum: 38.6 °C = 101 F
Average: 30.7 °C = 87 F
Power Supply (max.)  50.4 °C = 123 F | Room Temperature 23.5 °C = 74 F | Voltcraft IR-360
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 30.1 °C / 86 F, compared to the average of 31.2 °C / 88 F for the devices in the class Multimedia.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 35.5 °C / 96 F, compared to the average of 36.9 °C / 98 F, ranging from 21.1 to 71 °C for the class Multimedia.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 38.6 °C / 101 F, compared to the average of 39.1 °C / 102 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.6 °C / 76 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (32.3 °C / 90.1 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (-3.5 °C / -6.3 F).

Speakers

The Pavilion's stereo speakers can be found above the keyboard behind a perforated covering. They produce a full-bodied sound, but lacking in bass. For better sound quality, we recommend external speakers or headphones.

Energy Management

Wie wir testen - Akkulaufzeit

Power Consumption

In idle state, we measured power consumption at between 9.1 and 15.7 W. The F75VC (8.3 to 12.9 W) offers a slightly more thrifty option. The Inspiron requires the most power (13.1 to 18.2 W). This is a bit of a surprise, since the Dell notebook does have a ULV processor. Under medium load (with 3DMark06 running) and full load (stress test, Prime95 and Furmark running) power consumption increases to 69.6 and 82.2 W respectively. Under full load, power consumption oscillates considerably, since the GPU and CPU do not run at constant speeds. Both the Inspiron (41.6 and 52.2 W respectively) and the F75VC (57.1 and 69.7 W respectively) offer more power-saving options.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.1 / 0.6 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 9.1 / 14.3 / 15.7 Watt
Load midlight 69.6 / 82.2 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Voltcraft VC 940
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Life

In idle operation, the Pavilion reached a maximum runtime of 7 hours and 8 minutes. The F75VC (6 hours, 56 minutes) matches it almost exactly.  The Inspiron gives up markedly faster (5 hours, 16 minutes). We used the Battery Eater Reader's Test to evaluate runtime in idle operation. The monitor is set at its lowest brightness setting, energy save mode is active, and WLAN is turned off. Under load the Pavilion's battery achieves a runtime of 1 hour, 6 minutes. The F75VC (1 hour, 17 minutes) runs just slightly ahead, while the Inspiron (2 hours, 15 minutes) holds on for much longer. The load usage was checked with the help of the Battery Eater Classic Test. The monitor is set to full brightness, and the maximum performance mode and WLAN are active.

Under the  WLAN test, the Pavilion shuts down after 3 hours, 29 minutes. The Asus notebook (3 hours, 49 minutes) and the Inspiron (4 hours, 1 minute) both last longer. During this test, web sites are automatically loaded in 40-second intervals. Energy save mode is on, and display brightness is set at 150 cd/m². DVD playback stops on the Pavilion after 2 hours, 39 minutes. The F75VC (3 hours, 1 minute) and the Inspiron (2 hours, 57 minutes) last longer under this test as well. We run the DVD test with energy save mode on (or with a higher performance profile if the DVD doesn't run smoothly otherwise), full brightness and deactivated WLAN. 

The Pavilion's runtimes on battery are satisfactory for a notebook in this class. The Inspiron's runtimes are more disappointing. Although it has the battery with the greatest capacity (HP and Asus: 47 Wh, Dell: 65 Wh) and a ULV processor, with one exception it hardly distinguishes itself from the competition.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
7h 08min
WiFi Surfing
3h 29min
DVD
2h 39min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 06min

Verdict

The HP Pavilion 17-e054sg.
The HP Pavilion 17-e054sg.

All in all, with the Pavilion 17-e054sg Hewlett Packard offers a solid product at a competitive price. The application performance is where it should be, and gaming performance allows more than just sporadic play. The computer offers a spacious hard drive and can maintain an acceptable battery life. The monitor won't be winning any prizes, but we have also seen worse models. It does unfortunately suffer from a blue tint. The only real point of criticism is that in the Pavilion, HP only installed a Fast Ethernet chip, while the competition offers Gigabit Ethernet.

If the purchase price is an important factor, the Asus F75VC suggests itself as an alternative. The model we tested is not currently available, but the next generation is. Its features are nearly identical - with one exception: this machine runs with a more powerful Core i3-3110M processor (Ivy Bridge) rather than the Core i3-2370M (Sandy Bridge). The price is between 480 and 500 Euros (~$660-$690). The only reason to buy the Dell Inspiron 17R-5721 is its CPU's processing power. Apart from that, it would be difficult to find an argument to buy. When we compare the respective runtimes (in relation to battery capacity), the Inspiron appears a bit lousy by comparison. It just consumes too much power in its idle state.

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The HP Pavilion 17-e054sg, provided by AMD.
The HP Pavilion 17-e054sg, provided by AMD.

Specifications

HP Pavilion 17-e054sg (Pavilion 17-ab Series)
Processor
AMD A10-5750M 4 x 2.5 - 3.5 GHz, Richland
Graphics adapter
AMD Radeon HD 8650G + HD 8670M Dual Graphics - 1024 MB VRAM, Core: 975 MHz, Memory: 1000 MHz, Catalyst 13.9, CrossFire
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR3, Dual-Channel, two RAM slots (both occupied)
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 1600 x 900 pixel, LG Philips LGD0372, TN LED, glossy: yes
Mainboard
AMD Bolton
Storage
Toshiba MQ01ABD100, 1000 GB 
, 5400 rpm, 892 GB free
Soundcard
AMD Hudson-3 FCH High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: Audio Combo, Card Reader: SD, MMC
Networking
Realtek RTL8102E Family PCI-E Fast Ethernet (10/100MBit/s), Realtek RTL8188EE (b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/)
Optical drive
HP CDDVDW SU-208CB
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 32 x 420 x 267 ( = 1.26 x 16.54 x 10.51 in)
Battery
47 Wh Lithium-Ion, 10.8V, 4200 mAh
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 8 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD webcam (1280 x 720)
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, Cyberlink Media Suite 10, Cyberlink PowerDirector 10, Cyberlink PowerDVD, Cyberlink YouCam, Microsoft Office 365 (Test version), Norton Internet Security (Testversion), Windows Essentials 2012, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
2.9 kg ( = 102.29 oz / 6.39 pounds), Power Supply: 328 g ( = 11.57 oz / 0.72 pounds)
Price
599 Euro

 

The DVD burner reads and displays all varieties of DVDs and CDs.
The DVD burner reads and displays all varieties of DVDs and CDs.
A number keypad is available.
A number keypad is available.
The hinge...
The hinge...
...holds the lid tightly in position.
...holds the lid tightly in position.
A maintenance compartment is accessible.
A maintenance compartment is accessible.
There are two RAM modules.
There are two RAM modules.
The hard drive can be swapped out.
The hard drive can be swapped out.
Good: two WLAN-antennae are available.
Good: two WLAN-antennae are available.
The DVD burner can be removed.
The DVD burner can be removed.
The battery weighs just 291 grams...
The battery weighs just 291 grams...
and offers a capacity of 47 Wh.
and offers a capacity of 47 Wh.
The power adaptor weighs about 328 grams...
The power adaptor weighs about 328 grams...
and offers a nominal capacity of 90 W.
and offers a nominal capacity of 90 W.
The texture of the wrist rest.
The texture of the wrist rest.
The speakers sit behind a perforated covering.
The speakers sit behind a perforated covering.
AMD technology is included in the Pavilion.
AMD technology is included in the Pavilion.
The Pavilion 17 outdoors.
The Pavilion 17 outdoors.

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Links

  • Manufacturer's information

Price Comparison

Pros

+Good application performance
+Good gaming performance
+Lots of RAM
 

Cons

-Only Fast Ethernet
-Blue-tinted screen
-Warranty good for only 12 months

Shortcut

What we liked

The solid system performance. The hard drive also impresses. It runs sufficiently fast and offers spacious memory.

What we'd like to see

A better display can never hurt, even when we can live with the one they're offering.

What surprises us

AMD still doesn't really have a handle on its dual graphics system. The integrated APU occasionally achieves better frame rates than the hybrid.

The competition

Asus F75VC-TY088H, Dell Inspiron 17R-5721, Acer Aspire V3-771G, Sony Vaio SV-E1712F1EW, Asus K75VJ-TY102H, HP ProBook 4740s, Lenovo IdeaPad G780, HP Pavilion g7-2007sg, Acer Aspire V3-772G, MSI CX70-i740M281W7HAsus N750JV-T4110H, Samsung Series 3 355E7C-S05DE, Toshiba Satellite L875D-10E, Asus K75DE.

Rating

HP Pavilion 17-e054sg - 04/16/2014 v4(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
66 / 98 → 67%
Keyboard
72%
Pointing Device
74%
Connectivity
62 / 81 → 77%
Weight
57 / 20-67 → 79%
Battery
77%
Display
66%
Games Performance
67 / 85 → 79%
Application Performance
61 / 92 → 66%
Temperature
90%
Noise
83 / 95 → 87%
Audio
50%
Camera
38 / 85 → 45%
Average
66%
71%
Multimedia - Weighted Average
Sascha Mölck, 2013-11- 8 (Update: 2018-05-15)